Monoflo spacing, pipe size, angles, etc.

Jim_37

First, I'd like to thank all who contribute to this excellent resource. I spent a few hours scouring the posts for answers to my questions and decided to just create a new post.

Last year, I had a new 95,000 btu/hr boiler installed in my small (1400 sq ft) 1926 cape. My plumber connected the unit to the existing black pipe - a large diameter two pipe system that appears to be a converted gravity system. He also added a boiler mate. All 11 radiators were/are connected as a single zone, with the boiler mate on a second zone, all pumped on the return side by a taco 007. I have removed the feed/return pipes, which hung low in my 6'4" basement and have only the pipes from the second floor radiators remaining. I plan to: convert the system to 3 zones (3,4,4 radiators), pumping on the away side with pumps, rather than zone valves, and install monoflo tees. My questions are:

1. The second floor's 4 radiators are piped to the basement in such a way that the pipes are very close together (4-10" apart). I have considered a monoflo on both feed and return for each radiator, in order to increase flow. Is this necessary, as these will be all on one zone? Will the 007 be facing too much backpressure? Should I use 1" pipe, with 1" by 3/4" monoflo's? Should I just extend the pipes so they are farther apart where they connect to the loop in order to increase flow?

2. The pipes reference in Q#1 terminate 4-6" below the basement ceiling. How important is it to pitch these pipes up from the loop? Headroom in the basement is VERY important to me. I had wanted to pipe the new loop tight to the ceiling.

3. Does a 3/4 loop sound adequate for each of the two remaining zones (with 1/2 risers)?..or should I just make all zones 1"?

4. I have had terrible luck in the past with oately teflon pipe thread paste, while regular old teflon tape never leaks. Maybe I'm using the wrong brand or not tightening the fitting enough. Any suggestions?

(many thanks to Dave from Burnham for his help and for referring me to this forum!)

Bill NTSG

Did you

check out hot tech topics on left side of screen. Scroll down and click on Mono Flow tees


http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm link

Jim_37

I read about monoflo tees on the B&G site....

...looks like the same article.
I didn't review this section as a whole before, though. I just searched The Wall...I'll have a look.

The article you mentioned says to try to keep the mains and radiators pitched up to help get rid of air on start-up. It doesn't give me a real world idea as to the net effect of have those second floor risers pitched down for the last foot or so.....any thoughts?

Likewise with the other questions...
I guess I'm trying to land somewhere between a fully engineered system and the one which I started with.
Thanks.